Ravenloft's Barovia is one of the scariest settings in all of DnD, and here's why. For background the home is infused with the evil spirits of the cultists that once resided there. Its important to note that after exiting this place, its unlikely that the adventurers will visit it ever again. They will close up on them leading them to the Village of Barovia. Far from the villages and towns of the valley, there is not much safety around this location. joining the sa forums will remove this big ad, the annoying underlined ads, and stupid interstitial ads!! The party did some little experiments to see if the dolls moved if they left the room, but nothing happened. Dungeon master guide and advice with the. Third. Castle Ravenloft is the home of Strahd Von Zarovich and is quite a terrifying location. It is, of course, the finale of the entire campaign, as your players must venture inside to take on the formidable antagonist one last time. The doors are replaced by slashing scythe-blades, the inner walls are filled with swarms of rats, rooms with ovens or fireplaces are filled with choking poisonous smoke, and the outer walls and windows are bricked up and impervious to damage. Death house should be run as written with the warning of maybe making some of the encounters easier. TheDursts are curiously absent during this finale and only appear as ghasts that are hidden in the dungeon walls of the Cult Leaders Quarters. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-banner-1-0');The Death House is meant for a group of four level 1 characters. Since then, he's never looked back and loves roleplaying games for the chance to tell the tales that have been swirling in his head since childhood. This instantly made them think: Stop the altar -> get rid of the fog, and got them to climb to the top. As adventurers reach the top of the attic, they will find themselves in an aggressive place, they house is trying to kill them (page 220). The adventure was unveiled in the February 2016 issue of Dragon+ as an example of the thrills that would come in the then-unreleased Curse of Strahd. Well look over those now. While frightening at first, it quickly loses its charm. As a new DM don't worry about getting things wrong. Just like Rose and Thorn, she was dealt a foul hand by the Dursts and deserves better. However, having already promised their help to the spirits of Rose and Thorn, the only way theyd be getting out is by finding what lies beneath the house. I provided their flaws through PM, and both had a blast roleplaying it. As they reach the bottom landing they discern a dozen or so voices saying, over and over, "He is the Ancient. It's a horrific truth that will send a shiver down your party's spines. It helped pull the player into the story a lot more. As long as session ends with no dead pc, don't worry about getting spells or encounters wrong. If you already have level 3 players you can jump right into the action of Barovias encounters. The PCs could hear her making gentle cooing sounds, and see her rocking the crib gently. I ran this around this time last year and that nursemaid absolutely murdered two of the NPCs of players I had only just met (at which point the party fled the house and refused to return). Almost parallels Death house. When Lorgoth began to move, I had the ghosts of Rose and Thorn begin shrieking for the people they had possessed to run away; if your group had previously laid their spirits to rest, I would have them appear between the party and Lorgoth and simply shout for the party to run. There is no escape, not without first defeating the seemingly unstoppable vampire Strahd Von Zarovich. Where the Death House really stands out is its use of theme. As written, its a fun and challenging (almost too challenging!) Death House will likely be the first location your players will visit. Nursemaids Suite and Storage Room.- The nursemaids specter can be found in either of these locations. 4. One of my PCs assumed that shed accidentally killed him with Shocking Grasp, but thankfully didnt bring it up. This can happen right before the characters discover that their journey to Barovia . Did you do anything differently? Death House is a modern Dungeons & Dragons horror classic. Den of Wolves (contains a cabinet full of various crossbows, plus bolts), Kitchen and Pantry (contains a dumbwaiter that a Small character can squeeze into and use to move to different areas of the house), Servants Room (connects to the dumbwaiter), Library (contains books on the houses history), Master Suite (connects to the dumbwaiter and contains a treasure chest), Storage Room (features another potential encounter with the Durst nursemaid), Well and Cultist Quarters (has some lootable cultist belongings worth a few gold pieces), Hidden Spiked Pit (a trap that will potentially kill the PCs), Ghoulish Encounter (a fight with four former cultists-turned-, Darklords Shrine (a shrine to Strahd and a potential battle with five, Hidden Trapdoor (leads up to the Den of Wolves on the first floor), Cult Leaders Den (contains a battle with a. Theres a third baby in the picture in the fathers arms, Mrs. Durst looks at the baby with scorn. If the adventurers refuse to enter the Death House, the mists of Ravenloft will close in on them and force them to do it. The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. This makes the encounter with a coven of hags all the more imposing. NEXT: Dungeons & Dragons: The Best Online Tools For DMs. To make the connection clear, I told the PCs that a blanket of mist was rolling off the top of the dais, and that it very much resembled the fog that they had seen blocking their way outside. When the party goes to escape, the house itself will be attacking them. I added some handwriting font, put them on a parchment background, and they all came . How to Play Ravenloft in a Single Night. If/when the PCs try to leave, the children will try to possess them, not out of aggression but out of fear of abandonment. It is designed like this. Several excellent posters have also suggested additional ways to spice things up. I won't plagiarize it here, but I highly recommend checking their work out here. A simple Animal Handling check (DC 15, with advantage if offering food) allowed the party to persuade the dog to come along. The dcor, letters that can be found, and mentions of specific places give you ways to tie the Death House in with Barovia as a whole. Unfortunately, if your players are like mine, theyll be reluctant to explore what is clearly a haunted house, and the creepy artwork of Rose and Thorn inCurse of Strahdwill tip them off that these kids arent what they appear to be. Now, railroading isnt a bad thing, especially for a newer group. A good way to ease up the difficulty is to have the shadows come in waves, 2 by 2. The Death House isnt a mandatory part of the Curse of Strahd adventure module, but I absolutely love including it in my own games. Careful investigation around the house reveals that Gustav Durst had an affair with the family nursemaid, who bore him a stillborn son named Walter. They double back to the one unexplored section of this dungeon level and descend a long stone staircase into darkness. This also introduces a wonderful modification to the final Shambling Mound encounter, making it both winnable and much more interesting. As written, the nursemaid is not only a lethal character who could potentially destroy a 1st- or 2nd-level adventurer with fewhit points with her Life Drain ability, but shes also a horror trope the cast aside, wronged woman who returns as a vengeful ghost. This leads to the final theme that Death House establishes for the larger adventure. Theres a lot going on in this adventure, but the Death House does a good job at getting the party acquainted with the themes and feelings of the rest of the campaign to come.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_25',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); I cant say that its perfect for every group. Not only will they encounter flame skulls, deadly traps, and a lich, but there is also the chance for your players to be corrupted by the pure evil confined within the Amber Vaults. Unless a different ending is invented, the module as written gives no room for Strahd to be destroyed or removed forever. The Amber Temple is one of the most dangerous locations in Barovia. Running the Death House The main Curse of Strahd module encompasses levels 3-10. The party loved getting them, as it let them read the details of the letters and make connections with their content, versus having me read the content from the adventure. A sizable treasure for a level 1 party. In fact, the more good something is, the more it must be corrupted. Monster design is good, but we have to re-skin the description a bit. Not all of them need to be visited, your group might skip some parts of the house or the dungeon. Dress Up This October With This Month's Free Subscription Perks! Each and every doll in the chest had a face painted on it, though. (If youre feeling generous, or really want your players to see the entirety of the house in a quick Halloween night of gaming, you could even run it at 3rd level.). If the PCs comply and a living being is killed off on the altar, the house is appeased and they will be able to leave peacefully and level up. With Death House, you'll need to take time in each room, describing the blazing hearths, the strange wolf-helm armor, everything. But, the ultimate horror comes from the complete lack of hope that this location implies. Locals give the building a wide berth for fear of antagonizing the evil spirits believed to haunt it. Both DeiGratia and Abuget can be downloaded over at www.dafont.com. The Dungeon Levels final encounter is with a Shambling Mound. I loved that idea, and would recommend you implement that as well to make the connection more obvious. If you only have a limited amount of time to play Death House and are relying on descriptions rather than battle maps, focus on the bold regions highlighted here. From gaming trends to the latest blockbuster anime, DualShockers keeps you ahead of the curve. To get around this problem, turn Rose and Thorn into NPCs with big personalities that your players will want to help. Thats awesome!! if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'tabletopjoab_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_19',125,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-medrectangle-3-0');At least in the top 3! You want this to be fun, scary, and challenging. The Death House is actually a very challenging dungeon. It was great. 3. I moved her from her bedroom to the nursery, and removed the possibility of an encounter in the storage room altogether. Oooh this is actually really neat, love the little modifiers you added. 2023 Elven Tower Cartography. When I ran the adventure in October 2018 for Halloween, I quickly found my anxiety spiking as my unsuspecting group of 1st-leveladventurers proceeded to nearly get massacred at least five times in a row. Yes they are still illusions but appear too be real children and wont vanish. Its the Durst Mansion or, if the kids are talking, our home. Nobodys going to eagerly go rushing into something called the Death House. I added some handwriting font, put them on a parchment background, and they all came up well. The most important is the silvered shortsword in 25E (page 218). Part-time Druid, Full-time Hobo. 2023 Wizards. Secret Room.- Theres a letter by Strahd here. Thunk me later! Be brave, dear reader, as you enter the haunted Durst Mansion. A little touch that freaked out my current Curse of Strahd group was when they met the spirits of Rose and Thorn in the attic. If the PCs damage anything (the chairs, the wallpaper, etc.) And they wont find something quite like that anytime soon. Copyright Your email address will not be published. She was then stabbed by the cultists for unexplained reasons and cast aside. Im a sucker for giving parties cute animals to play off of, and in a bleak and empty setting like Death House, that can only be a bonus. See here for more details. I will definitely incorporate these ideas next time! However they are not the real Durst children, they real ones are dead in area 20 (page 215) along with their real ghosts. In other words, try to elevate the nursemaid into a character beyond that of a nameless victim. This fight should prove to be much easier than the Animated Armor. She deserves more development, especially in a stripped-down Death House emphasizing the evil nature of the Dursts. Running Curse of Strahd. Ghoulish Encounter.- Depending on the partys reaction to this, it can be a very lethal encounter. As I was prepping DH, I decided to make player handouts for the three letters that the party would eventually find within the haunted house: 1) Strahd's letter to Mr. Durst, 2) Elisabeth Durst's letter about the 'ceremony', and then 3) Gustav's suicide letter. Did you like this guide? As the enormous thing crawls towards you, you see bodily remains of humans buried in its putrid body.. However, youd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesnt put the gothic horror adventure, Curse of Strahd, at the top of their list. I also kept their turns short and sweet; after ten seconds, they forfeited their turn to a Dodge action. Also, as an important note, there are two major things that you absolutely should not do. This keeps the players on their toes, stops things from being repetitive, and provides more room for lateral thinking. After using one of the adventure hooks (page 18), you have successfully steered the party to Barovia. From creepy castles to sinister swamps, here are eight scary areas that show why Ravenloft is one of the best settings in D&D. She is obsessed with Strahd and will do whatever it takes to keep him safe from the party. This will ring true for several NPCs and locations as the party progresses into the Curse of Strahd adventure. Tsolenka Pass is relatively isolated from the rest of Barovia, making it quite an unsettling, lonely path for the party to travel down. Thank you! Since I've warned you already about spoilers, I'll state it up front: to avoid the house turning against the PCs, a creature has to die at the sanctum in the basement. Thats the foundation of storytelling for thousands of years! my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! Master Suite.- Theres a jewelry box with jewels worth 900 gp. If you like what I do, consider getting involved and backing me. Honestly, even if the party is level 3, this can be a very tough fight! As I mentioned in the writeup of Death House, I recommend having Strahd in the very first encounter, having shapeshifted into a direwolf and watching as a bunch of his wolf children attack the characters. Give the party a chance to rest and level up (if they started at level 1) before they work their way to the Dungeon Level.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'tabletopjoab_com-leader-1','ezslot_12',135,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-leader-1-0'); In the Dungeon Level, the party will encounter a Grick and several undead. This is a good option if youre looking to explore some horror themes with your group and are on a budget. https://www.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/7hmosm/lessons_from_running_curse_of_strahd_the_feast_of/, Place a tattered piece of sheet music on the harpsichord in the conservatory, another DMs idea to let them see a woman shrouded in black standing beside the crib, her back to the door, only attack those that approached the crib or threatened her baby, the image of the (human) nursemaid appeared in the glass, describe it as feeling like a childs hands, searching desperately for a warm embrace.. They will sing to wake up Lorghoth the Decayer, a Shambling Mound hiding in the southernmost alcove. Players destroyed the statue of Strahd at Death House. 9. Perhaps she legitimately loved Gustav and hoped to free him from the cults influence. For inspiration, consider Gustav Dursts reasoning for the affair in a letter from Strahd that can be found in the Secret Room. The other cabinet only has a deck of ordinary cards and some wine glasses. If you have fewer players, its easy enough to remove some of the enemies or lower how much HP each enemy has. Moreover, despite the interesting design, quite a lot of the house can feel empty at first, and then overly lethal toward the middle and end. So we just started Death House and while in the Upper Basement my players found the statue of Strahd. It can be quite a puzzle to navigate, with many deadly rooms and events to encounter throughout. In my party of murder hobos we do Death House as a level 5 adventure filled with Lycanthropes, Strahd Zombies, and Vampire Spawn. They starved to death after their parents locked them in their room. Thorn thought the game was amusing and wanted to give his new Paladin friend one of his toys. The most vital regions are bolded. There are plenty of deadly combat encounters that can take place here, from giant spiders to undead revenants and phantom warriors. All this can be achieved in 6-10 hours of playing. This also gives her some nice agency, and gives the party a better feel for her role as Thorns protector. Their ghosts are here. Oh, Death House. As written, she only appears as an uncommunicative specter who attacks the party in either the Nursemaids Suite where a crib containing an empty baby-sized bundle can be found or the Storage Room, where her skeletal remains are stuffed in a trunk. If you already have level 3 players you can jump right into the action of Barovia's encounters. Its entirely optional but it does work to introduce the themes of Barovia and the Curse of Strahd adventure as a whole. Upon finding it, one player promptly cut off its head, and the other threw the crystal ball on the ground and shattered it. Stress the wrongdoings of Gustav and Elisabeth Durst, and plant the seed of putting the souls of these poor children to rest by placing their remains in the family crypts. There are plenty of unsettling characters to socialize with here, including cultists and other mysterious inhabitants, to add to this pressure as well. Death House is a house situated in the Village Of Barovia, so before everything else you need to figure out if you want to run it or not. For instance, the shrine devoted to Strahd oozes atmosphere, and if you have gnomes or other Small characters in your party, utilizing the dumbwaiter is a fun way of having them scout ahead. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Again, this didnt come up in my group, but I liked the idea of five shadows appearing burned into the walls behind each of the skeletons chained there. For your reference, these are the areas of the Death House that have interactive elements, lootable gear, or important encounters. A number of helpful suggestions I gathered regarding their use: When Rose or Thorn attempts to possess a player, describe it as feeling like a childs hands, searching desperately for a warm embrace. Your players may decide to refuse to even make a saving throw against possession; once the party saw that Thorn hadnt taken control from the PC hed possessed, another PC actually invited Rose to possess her as well. The PCs have the hallways width to their favor, as its a natural funnel. Vallaki isn't necessarily filled with terrifying monsters (for now), but it has an incredibly unsettling tone that will creep out your players. You can find the Death House adventure here for free from Wizards of the Coast. Death House is that deadly. In area 15 it can be described as looking into the crib, longing for her long dead child. If you start at level 2, Id say have them level up to 3 before they proceed into the Dungeon Level. Thick tendrils of waste wriggle from it, reaching for nearby surfaces. 8 Real-Life Skills Youll Develop By Playing D&D, 12 Monsters That Will Instantly Kill Characters, 7 Types of D&D Players You Will Have In Your Group, 9 Powerful Tips to Engage Players in Your D&D Game. Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. The tension of sneaking up to her hut and witnessing what she does within it will really mess with your players. Death House says the children know theyre dead, so run with that concept. The go-to source for comic and superhero movie fans. Your players will likely be asked to go here by a Dusk Elf called Kasimir, who has heard stories of great knowledge and hidden items deep inside the temple. He is the Land." They may come to Barovia expecting to be heroes, but the things that they will do and sacrifice for the sake of their own survival throughout the adventure will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Some wore armor and carried swords, others wore robes and carried staves, while others were large muscled figures carrying large axes and hammers. I generally start my games at level 3. This signals quite clearly: This is not a fight you can win. Moreover, there are a lot of things that the party can miss (e.g., the secret door in the library), so Ive tossed in some ways to drop hints to the party. What this means is that anyone can use them, share them or modify them. You can have Rosavalda point that out, that they want to be where their parents are. 6.Upper Hall.- Theres a portrait of the Durst family. Each character rolls to pass through the scythes. Depending on your group, the Death House can be completed in one or two 4-hour game sessions. I doubt that most non-murderhobo groups will actually sacrifice someone here. You will be sure to terrify your party with this location, especially when they hear that horrible shriek of that feathered fiend and have nowhere to run. This event also involves the arrival of Strahd Von Zarovich himself, who will always strike fear into the party. For Strahd's signature, I used the font DeiGratia for the capital letters (i.e. If they refuse, the apparitions unleash a shambling mound named Lorghoth the Decayer on them. Id greatly recommend also checking out my article on running horror in your own D&D 5e games! The Count's Crypt. ! Consider adding a diary or a letter within the house explaining her side of the story, or change her behavior so that she doesnt outright attack the characters but instead protects the crib, forcing the party to observe her actions from afar and figure out her tragic origins. by Mike on 14 November 2016. . From the moment the party steps into the town, they'll get a great sense that nothing is right here. However, there is enough information provided to add your own spins to the Death House. What is it? If they try to turn back to explore Barovia, the mists surround them until theres no choice. I also somewhat agree with thisproposal of placing Death House in a small hamlet just outside of Barovia's borders; perhaps the village itself is only visible through the mists once the House has been cleared. The true horror of this location comes from a specific event that can take place if the players are not careful. If the PCs decide to take a long rest in the house, allow them to roll an Intelligence check to recall the relative safety of the Servants Quarters. The dolls in the model house remained untouched, but the players all gave each other the same look: they had to get out of here and fast. Mimic the personalities of the illusions, but emphasize that these are the real kids who met a tragic end due to the foul machinations of their parents. Your email address will not be published. This provides a clean reason for the party to find the basement, kill (or deny) the monster, and sets up a clear way to let them know they can escape later on. At the very least, lower their hit points a bit. You might also use less-intimidating artwork for the twins. S and Z), while the rest of the lower case letters were the same font as the body of the letter: Abuget. It is also included in the Curse of Strahd adventure module on page 211 under Appendix B. Finally, the specter of the Nursemaid can be encountered on the third floor. I am actually in the process of setting this up as a one-shot for some of my experienced gamer friends. If they kill any creature on the altar, the cult is appeased and the characters can leave the house freely. The link to MandyMods guide is above or right here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/comments/8sfpkn/fleshing_out_curse_of_strahd_part_2_entering/. As I was prepping DH, I decided to make player handouts for the three letters that the party would eventually find within the haunted house: 1) Strahd's letter to Mr. Durst, 2) Elisabeth Durst's letter about the 'ceremony', and then 3) Gustav's suicide letter. A level 2party which has had no long rests and several tough fights will not win this fight without losing some PCs. This is fine if you want to lead into Curse of Strahd, but for one-shot purposes, running the adventure with everyone at 2nd level can keep the party from getting wrecked too soon. Keeping level 1 characters alive is no small task, and "Death House" monsters have high armor classes and hit hard. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Set in the realm of Barovia, a Domain Of Dread within Ravenloft, your players find themselves transported here and trapped. However, this is more a set of skill challenges than combat. Your group might choose to fight it and risk death. As written, the plot hook is simply that there is a monster in the house. Most Barovians steer clear of this location, where they are likely to get lost in the muddy, misty marshes and even encounter terrifying scarecrows. If your players find out that the kids are illusions then they wont be trying to help and will believe it is a trap (I mean its obviously a trap but still). Consider also reducing the number of ghouls and/or shadows in the Dungeon Level. She and her daughters are, in fact, a coven of Night Hags. Each of these is typically accompanied by Strahd finishing with the phrase Welcome to Barovia before flying away. Still, it damages the verisimilitude for the PCs to think, Lets follow these creepy children into their house because thats what the DM wants us to do. Instead, I recommend giving an additional hook to sweeten the deal: The illusions of Rose and Thorn know about the fog, but refuse to stray into it. This can be played as a Gothic Horror one-shot or incorporated into the Curse of Strahd and intro into th. Not every spooky thing needs to have an explanation. Also theres a will bequeathing these properties to the Durst children. Curse Of Strahd is one of the best campaigns for Dungeons & Dragons. Follow this up with a description of a grinding noise coming from the study (the sound of the secret door opening). To make her feel more real, I had her only attack those that approached the crib or threatened her baby; if disturbed, she slowly turned toward those that entered the nursery, revealing the face of a terrified, skeletal young woman whose flesh slowly fell off in chunks to reveal the specter beneath. Created by the house to lure in victims, the illusions drop vague hints about a monster in the basement and the sins of their parents. But, this is Strahd's home, and the battle will not be easy. Darklords Shrine.- Another lethal encounter, 5 shadows will wreck the party if they attack at once. Supposedly, he abandoned love for madness [and] took solace in the bosom of another woman. What of the nursemaids point of view? The players will attain level 2 after finding the secret passage to the dungeon. I've spent the last three hours looking for ways to edit the pdf of another handout that says stillborn son but here this was! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Dungeon m. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Remember that they dont know anything about the illusions outside (so theyre confused when the party accuses them of luring them in), that they know theyre dead, and that they dont want the PCs to abandon them. Dont call it the Death House. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'tabletopjoab_com-box-4','ezslot_8',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tabletopjoab_com-box-4-0');The infamous Death House serves as a type of introductory mystery/dungeon to the Curse of Strahd adventure module. Pretty spoopy. Its almost as difficult and disturbing as the Old Bonegrinder in the same adventure! Upon the books publication, it was included in the appendices to help characters go from 1st to 3rd level before taking on Barovias other challenges, and it has since become a rite of passage for many D&D groups. Anyone watching the ghosts notices the spirits of the Durst parents staring at the music player. Barovia becomes a tomb for all who end up there. Maybe as a specter, she now desires vengeance more than anything else and mourns for her son. A lot of good ideas to make the story flow. How to D&D 29.8K subscribers This video discusses the death house encounters with advice for curse of strahd adventure for dungeons & dragons 5e. Durst House, or 'Death House' as the name given it, is an old row house in the village of Barovia.

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